1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lawn and sod cutting devices and, more particularly, to cutting devices especially adapted for cutting grass and sod adjacent to a sidewalk, driveway, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Where grass and sod abut a sidewalk, driveway, or the like, it is often desirable to keep the grass and sod neatly trimmed so that the sidewalk, driveway, or the like has a straight and neat appearance. Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to lawn edgers, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,090,267; 2,624,938; 4,052,791; 4,437,523; and 4,645,010. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 1,090,267 discloses a lawn edger device that has a curved blade having a leading edge that lies in a plane perpendicular to the edge of a sidewalk. As such, the blade does not permit a long cut that is parallel to the edge of the sidewalk. In this respect, it would be desirable if a lawn edger device were provided that permits a long cut that is parallel to the edge of a sidewalk.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,624,938 discloses a lawn edger device which includes a blade which permits a long cut that is parallel to the edge of a sidewalk. However, there is no provision for a person to place one's foot and most of one's body weight on a foot plate directly over the blade. In this respect, it would be desirable if a lawn edger device were provided that permits a person to place one's foot and most of one's body weight on a foot plate that is located directly over an edge-cutting blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,791 discloses a lawn edger device that includes a foot plate that is located directly over an edge-cutting blade. However, the foot plate has a length that is shorter than the blade. As a result, a person's foot can be exposed to the thin, top portion of the cutting blade which can be dangerous, especially if a large portion of the user's body weight falls upon this thin edge. To avoid this problem, it would be desirable if a lawn edger device were provided with a foot plate that is longer than the cutting blade placed under the foot plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,523 discloses a lawn edger device which also has a foot plate that is shorter than the length of the blade. Moreover, the foot plate, the blade, and the handle are not aligned in the same plane. As a result, when the handle is pushed back and forth, an unwanted transverse torque is developed between the handle and the foot plate. To avoid this unwanted transverse torque, it would be desirable if a lawn edger device were provided in which the foot plate, the blade, and the handle are aligned in the same plane.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,010 discloses a lawn edger device which has a cutting blade that is substantially the same length as the foot plate. Moreover, the cutting blade has a substantially straight cutting edge. The straight cutting edge does not permit a user to readily carry out a rocking action on the blade. In this respect, it would be desirable if a lawn edger device were provided with an arcuate cutting blade. Furthermore, the foot plate, the cutting blade, and the handle are not aligned in the same plane, whereby unwanted transverse torque can be developed between the handle and the foot plate. In this respect, as discussed above, it would be desirable if a lawn edger device were provided in which the foot plate, the blade, and the handle are aligned in the same plane.
Still other features would be desirable in a lawn edger device. For example, it would be desirable if the width of the foot plate were considerably greater than the width of the cutting blade, and the cutting blade should be centrally disposed along the under side of the foot plate. In this way, a transverse torque can be applied to the cutting blade directly from the foot plate without developing an unwanted transverse torque from the handle. Moreover, when the foot plate is sufficiently wide, both feet of the user can be placed on the foot plate. This is in contrast with the prior art lawn edger devices which employ a relatively narrow foot plate which does not permit both feet of the user to be placed upon the foot plate simultaneously.
In addition, none of the prior art lawn edger devices discloses a cutting blade that has a straight front-facing edge, an arcuate bottom-facing edge, and a straight back-facing edge. The straight front-facing edge and the straight back-facing edge can aid in the lifting of the arcuate bottom-facing edge out of sod when the device is to be rocked out of the sod to be moved along the sidewalk, driveway, or the like.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use lawn edger devices, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a lawn edger apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) permits a long cut that is parallel to the edge of a sidewalk, driveway, or the like; (2) permits a person to place one's foot and most of one's body weight on a foot plate that is located directly over an edge-cutting blade; (3) has a foot plate that is longer than the cutting blade placed under the foot plate; (4) provides a foot plate, a blade, and a handle aligned in the same plane; (5) has an arcuate cutting blade; (6) has a foot plate that is sufficiently wide so that both feet of the user can be placed on the foot plate; and (7) has a cutting blade that has a straight front-facing edge, an arcuate bottom-facing edge, and a straight back-facing edge. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique lawn edger apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.